


Pulling at Heartstrings

by MelvinL



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Pain, Sadness, Smut, Threats of Violence, Valana
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-06-03 20:36:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19471714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelvinL/pseuds/MelvinL
Summary: This focuses on Ulana story with Valery. She falls ill and has an all but pleasant encounter with Comrade Charkov... This will be an ongoing story (for now).





	1. Chapter 1

September 1986  
Ulana's apartment, Minsk  
-  
Ulana is sitting alone in her kitchen, a cup of tea sitting in front of her along with a desolate slice of toast. It had been six weeks since she had last seen Valery in person. She had holed herself up in her apartment, feeling extremely sick almost every day that week, and it was only getting worse. She had returned to Minsk to work and to attempt to understand what exactly happened at Chernobyl. Ulana had assumed that the comfort of her own home may help her concentrate; though, she rarely spends any time at home. Over her week at home, Ulana has hardly eaten, for there is very little food in her house. Even if there was food to be made, Ulana is a hopeless cook. Not that it mattered much, for she had been struggling to keep almost anything she ate down. Anything she did not throw up did not have much sustenance to it. So, she sits in silence, staring at her tea, cautious not to drink too much, fearing it may make her sick.  
Overwhelmed with exhaustion, Ulana rests her head on her hand. It had been weeks, maybe even months since she has slept properly. Even before the Chernobyl disaster, she rarely got a good night’s sleep. As of late, she had succumbed to horrible headaches. At least once a day, causing her to need to lay down. Though she often lays down to rest, she still struggles to sleep. Many nights, Ulana is haunted by nightmares, waking after only a few hours in a cold sweat; sometimes, there is no nightmare at all, and she simply jolts awake. When it isn’t her horrible dreams, Ulana is kept awake by her nausea. Some nights, she sits on her bathroom floor wrapped in a blanket, leaning against the wall as she waits for the nausea to pass.  
She stirs her tea and sighs. It had not only been six weeks since she had seen Valery, but it had also been six weeks since she had heard from him at all. There had been no phone calls or letters, it almost seemed as though he had forgotten her. Like he had pushed the thought of her aside. Ulana sighs and proceeds to pick apart her cold toast, crumbling up the pieces. It was one of the few things that did not make her feel ill. She sighs and rubs her temples, not knowing what to do.  
There is a gentle knock on the door, making Ulana jump. She looks over at her door, wondering if she should answer. There is another knock. Ulana swallows and stands up, slowly walking to the door. Upon opening the door she sees her colleague, Dimitri, standing just outside. A look of relief washes over his face at the sight of her.  
“Dimitri…” Ulana says in slight surprise.  
“So, you just don’t show up to work for a week. I thought you might have died” Dimitri says, laughing a little as he gives her a gentle hug.  
“I-I haven’t been feeling well” Ulana says softly, a bit relieved to see Dimitri.  
“I can tell. You look like shit” Dimitri says, chuckling as he steps inside.  
Ulana watches as Dimitri looks around her apartment, it is dark and dingy. She has been living on her own for over ten years now, and she is normally never home, leaving her apartment rather messy.  
Dimitri walks around, looking at her kitchen first. Her sink is full of dishes, and her kitchen is generally messy. He opens up her refrigerator. It is empty except got a few odd items. He uncaps the milk and smells it, gagging because of the rancid smell.  
“Good god, how old is this?” Dimitri says, laughing as he dumps it out.  
Ulana sits back down at her kitchen table and shudders, able to smell the expired milk from where she sits. “That’s a good question” She says, chuckling tiredly.  
Dimitri shakes his head and smiles as he glances at her. “You’re hopeless” He teases as he begins to shuffle through the few things in her barren pantry.  
There is an almost empty container of oats, a small bag of rice, some sugar, and a tin of tea. Dimitri shakes his head and glances at Ulana, wondering how she has survived this long on her own. He straightens up and proceeds into the living room. It is rather dark and dusty. The windows are covered by a set of particularly ugly patterned curtains that Ulana had never gotten around to changing. A few blankets lay bunched up on the couch, and some extremely old newspapers sit on the coffee table along with a pot, containing the remnants of a long dead plant. Dimitri throws open the curtains and suppresses a cough from the thick layer of dust that was disturbed. He thinks to open the window, but decides against it, remembering the radiation reading of eight milliroentgen. After folding the blankets and discarding the dead plant, Dimitri returns to the kitchen. He approaches Ulana and leans against the table. She looks up at him, and the severity of her exhaustion becomes more apparent. Her eyes are bloodshot, and her dark circles are more visible in the light. Ulana’s hair is greasy and tangled, and her grey hairs seeming more apparent. She seems to have aged years in the week she had not been to work.  
“Why don’t you get cleaned up, and I will go out and get some groceries. I will make you breakfast” Dimitri says as he leans on the kitchen table.  
Ulana looks up at him and shakes her head, smiling a little as she looks back down at her tea. She takes a sip and sighs.  
“You are too kind Dimitri. You do not have to cook for me” She says softly, feeling a bit embarrassed.  
“You obviously cannot cook for yourself, and you are horrible at asking for help” Dimitri teases, tilting his head as he looks at her.  
“You are not wrong” Ulana says, taking another sip of her tea and pausing for a moment, “Fine, you can cook for me, but nothing too fancy Dimitri”  
Ulana then gets up and disappears into her room, she grabs the spare key to her apartment and gives it to Dimitri.  
“Just holler when you get back” Ulana says as she finishes up her tea.  
Dimitri smiles and takes the key as he pulls his coat back on. Ulana watches as he leaves, the smile fading from her lips. A moment passes and she glances at the sink, then at her mug. Slowly, she gets up and places the mug amongst the many overflowing dishes within the sink. She looks down at them, shuddering as she is overcome by nausea. She leans over the sink, her hands gripping the counter, as she uses what little strength remains in her exhausted state to suppress the urge to vomit. She opens her eyes as the nausea passes, sweat glistens on her flushed cheeks. Ulana straightens up, her vision becoming tunneled and blurry. Upon taking a step, she collapses, hitting the side of her head against the table. She falls unconscious, blood gushing from a gash on the side of her head and pooling around her. Ulana fades in and out of consciousness, groaning softly as she feels someone lift her off the ground.  
She came too in a room that was not her own, the gash on her head wrapped in bandages. Whitewashed walls surrounded her, and the lights in the room are blinding. Ulana’s eyes wandered around the room, her vision blurry and eyelids heavy. She could see the outline of a figure sitting beside her bed reading a rather large book. For a moment, hope surges through her, maybe it was him.  
“Valery?” She mumbles, not truly able to make out who it was.  
“Oh, Khomyuk, your finally awake” A voice says, but it is not Valery’s.

It is a voice Ulana does not recognize. The voice is greasy and cold. It sends chills up her spine and makes her hairs stand on end. She groans a little as she attempts properly sits up. She blinks to clear her cloudy vision. An older man with grey-white hair and ashy, wrinkled skin sits beside her bed. He wears thick-rimmed black glasses with dirty lenses that obscure his icy eyes. He slowly grins, showing his slightly yellowing teeth. The sight of his maniacal grin makes her shudder.  
“Who are you?” Ulana asks, her voice shaking with fear and confusion.  
“Do I not get a thank you? I did save your life after all?” Charkov says, raising the two furry caterpillars he calls eyebrows in surprise.  
“How can I thank a man I do not know?” Ulana replies, leaning back against her pillows, unable to hold herself up much longer.  
Charkov smiles, finding her amusing. “I am the KGB's first deputy chairman, Charkov” He says, a nefarious grin crossing his lips.  
It takes a moment for Ulana to process this information. She sits, staring at him. Her eyes wide, and her lips slightly parted. It is as if her super-computer of a brain cannot comprehend the words that just came from the man’s lips. Ulana shakes her head and looks at him, her eyes burning into him. The sudden cautious and accusing look almost startles Charkov.  
“What would you want with me?” Ulana growls, becoming very defensive against Charkov as fear rises within her.  
“Oh Khomyuk, the KGB must keep a close eye on the most inquisitive of citizens. And you, my dear, have been caught sticking your nose where it does not belong” Charkov says, giving her a faux-friendly smile.  
“But why are you here… Do you not have more important things to do?” Khomyuk whispers, still glaring at Charkov, who is sitting beside her IV/morphine drip.  
“Well, I came because I wanted to take a look at your chart myself. So, this has become something of a personal trip…” Charkov says, his greasy voice hanging in the cool air as a sadistic grin crosses his face.  
“W-Why would you want to-” Ulana begins, overwhelmed with a sense of confusion and dread.  
“Comrade, you and I both know that a seemingly healthy woman does not just suddenly become sick and collapse” Charkov says, clicking his tongue and shaking his head as he grabs her chart.  
Ulana struggles, trying to get up, but Charkov stops her, turning up her morphine drip. He doubles her morphine dose, turning it up from 3 mg to 6mg every four hours. Ulana lays back after a few moments as the morphine begins to take effect, her body feeling as though it is made of lead. She slowly becomes drowsy, feeling lightheaded as the room begins spinning. She forces herself to stay awake, watching the perverse expressions that cross Charkov,s face as he reads.  
“My my Khomyuk, you have been a busy woman” Charkov says, a vicious look crossing his face.  
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ulana says, gritting her teeth as she glairs at him, her fists clenched around the sheets of the hospital bed.  
“Oh, so you didn’t know” Charkov says giving her a look of sadistic joy.  
“Well, you shouldn’t be allowed to keep it, assuming he is really the father” Charkov mumbles, more to himself than to her.  
“What the hell are you talking about” Ulana growls, his vagueness absolutely infuriating her.  
Charkov chuckles a little. It is a cold and vicious chuckle that should not belong to a man. He reaches down and places his hand on the small curve of her stomach, caressing it with his thumb, causing Ulana to shudder.  
“I thought you would have realized, comrade Khomyuk. You are pregnant” Charkov says, licking his lips as they curl in a fiendish grin.  
Upon hearing this, Ulana’s lips part slightly and she stares at Charkov in horrorstricken awe. She looks down at her stomach for a moment, thinking back to the last time she and Valery had been together. Her heart began to ache as she recalled that blissful night around six weeks ago. It was their last night together before she returned to Minsk. After that, she had not heard from him. Almost as if she were forgotten, like a foggy memory, pushed to the back of one’s mind.  
“So, what makes this any of your business?” Ulana says defiantly as Charkov caresses her stomach with his rough hand, making her hair stand on end.  
“The love child of a top Soviet scientist is my business comrade” Charkov says, tilting his head slightly as he looks down at her.  
Charkov then pauses and runs his hand down her stomach. His hand travels beneath the hospital sheets and down onto Ulana’s soft thigh. He can feel her shivering from his touch.  
“Quite the stubborn woman you are Khomyuk” Charkov says with a cold chuckle as his hand slides up her hospital gown.  
There is another pause as Charkov traces his finger over her, violating her. Ulana grits her teeth glaring at him with pure rage.  
“Of course, we cannot allow you to keep the baby” Charkov says as he places his hand back on Ulana’s stomach, running his thumb along her stomach.  
“I believe that is my decision to make” Ulana says, her voice breaking as anger rises in her and tears come to her eyes.  
“Oh Khomyuk, you are so naïve” Charkov mumbles, shaking his head.  
Slowly, Charkov moves his hand up her stomach. He cups it around her breast as he gives a cynical grin, squeezing her tender breast a little, causing her to flinch.  
“I doubt you did not notice how tender your breasts have become…” Charkov whispers, his greasy voice making her shiver.  
He places both of his hands upon her breasts and squeezes them, causing Ulana to whimper.  
“Stop!” Ulana groans in disgust, trying to pull away, but her body hardly moves. Charkov ignores her pleas and leans down over her, his nails digging into her soft breasts, drawing blood in some places.  
“You have been very naughty Khomyuk, I do hope you will learn your lesson” He whispers, as he puts all of his weight on her chest, causing her to gasp for air.  
Charkov chuckles a little at the desperate look on Ulana's face. He and shakes his head as he leans back, taking the pressure off her chest. “Get some rest comrade Khomyuk. I have heard that the recovery you will be going through is a long process” he says, his voice icy as he ups her morphine dose once again. He has had his fun with her for the day, now he has real work to do. Ulana watches as Charkov puts her chart back, her vision beginning to fade as he leaves the room. Hardly a few seconds pass after Charkov leaves before Ulana has passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours pass before Ulana regains consciousness. A nurse is standing beside her bed, muttering to herself. She is a middle-aged woman, only a little older than Ulana. Ulana sighs and attempts to sit up a little, her body aches and she cannot shake her exhaustion. Ulana wondering if what happened was all just a horrible nightmare.   
“Oh darling, don’t sit up” The nurse says, realizing Ulana is awake.  
Ulana groans and lays back against her pillows, propped up against them a little. Her whole body feeling heavy, making it hard to move. Ulana looks around the room, her head throbbing. It is a bit of a challenge to lift her head, but Ulana manages. Slowly, she looks down at her body. Mustering her strength, Ulana manages to raise her arm. She pulls the neckline of her hospital gown away from her body. She bites her lip before looking down at her breasts. The sight brings tears to her eyes. There are deep red and scabbed over nail marks on both of her breasts. Ulana drops the gown back against her body, and her arm falls to her side. It was not a nightmare, it was real. Ulana feels tears roll down her cheeks as she bites her lip, trying to keep herself from sobbing. She allows her head to fall back against the pillow, her mouth feeling dry and her throat extremely closed. The nurse finishes up writing down something in Ulana's chart before helping Ulana to sit up a little.  
“How are you feeling?” the nurse asks as she slowly begins removing the bandages on the side of Ulana’s head.  
“I-I feel fine…” Ulana mumbles, staring at the foot of the bed.  
The nurse shakes her head a little as she injects something into Ulana’s IV. Ulana sighs and gently rests her hand on the curve of her stomach. Her mind is racing, and she sniffles, doing her best not to cry. She cannot help but think of Valery, and if things were different, the life they could have together. Suddenly Ulana looks up at the nurse.  
“What will happen to my baby?” she whispers, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
The nurse looks over at her and pauses for a moment. She sits down on the edge of Ulana’s bed and takes her hand.   
“We have performed so many abortions in the months since the accident… T-the doctor has decided that, since you would like to keep your child, we will not force you to abort it” The nurse whispers, her lips curling in a gentle smile.  
Ulana sniffles, more tears streaming down her face as her lips curl into a radiant smile.   
“Th-Thank you” Ulana whispers, squeezing the nurse’s hand.  
The nurse smiles and nods in reply. She gently fixes Ulana's hair before standing up. Suddenly, the door opens makes Ulana jump. Another nurse walks in. She is a young woman with porcelain skin and a tiny figure.   
“You have a visitor” She says in a smooth silky voice before motioning for someone to come inside.  
Ulana’s heart jumps, hoping- no- believing it could be Valery. Her heart sinks as Dimitri enters the room. He silently approaches her and wraps his arms around her, cradling her head against him. Ulana’s disappointment quickly fades as she wraps her arms around Dimitri and presses her forehead against his sweater.  
“I was so worried about you” Dimitri mumbles as he sits on the edge of her bed.   
“How long was I out?” Ulana says softly, looking up at Dimitri.  
“You’ve been very out of it for a few days” Dimitri says.  
Ulana nods and licks her lips. “When will I be able to go home?” Ulana asks softly, looking past Dimitri at the nurses.   
“Hopefully in a few days” the younger nurse says with a friendly smile, meeting Ulana’s gaze.   
Ulana swallows and nods quietly. She groans a little as she lays back and rolls onto her side. Dimitri reaches over and fixes her hair. She is very pale and a bit cold.   
“Do you need me to bring you anything?” Dimitri asks as he takes her hand.  
“A blanket, maybe some clean clothes?” Ulana says softly, holding her abdomen as she lays on her side, facing Dimitri.  
Dimitri smiles a little and squeezes her hand. “Alright…” Dimitri says softly before he wraps his arm around her, rubbing her back gently.   
Ulana quietly wraps her arms around Dimitri, breathing in his familiar scent. Having him there was better than not having anyone.   
A few hours pass and Dimitri must leave, claiming that he must return to work. Ulana lays there quietly, looking around the empty room. Her hand wanders to her stomach, it had been aching a little, but nothing too severe. It still scared her though. The thought of losing her baby. The thought of losing Valery’s baby. Her heart shattered at the thought of losing it. What would Valery think when he found out? Would he be happy? Would he want her to get rid of it? Though the thought of pregnancy at her age seemed comical, Ulana was determined to keep her baby. She knew that pregnancy would take its toll on her body, but in her mind, there was no other option. She had to carry through with it. She would fight tooth and nail for the small life growing inside of her. Ulana would succumb to Charkov’s torturous ways. She would not let him win.  
A few days pass rather quickly. Many of Ulana’s coworkers come to see her, and their company is rather nice. It is comforting to talk about nothing in particular with them. The company takes her mind off of everything. Dimitri is waiting outside as Ulana exits the hospital. She is wearing a deep magenta dress and a light coat. Her purse hangs on her arm as she approaches him. There are no words exchanged, Ulana simply wraps her arms around her friend, relieved to be out of the hospital. She lays her head against his chest and they stand in that sweet embrace for a few moments before parting.  
“Thank you for everything, Dimitri” Ulana says softly as she glances up at him.  
Dimitri smiles and shrugs “Your welcome Ulana” he says softly as he pulls out the car keys. Ulana reaches to take the keys from him.  
“Woah, Woah, Woah, you really think I’m letting you drive yourself home? After you’ve just gotten out of the hospital?” Dimitri says, smiling at her and chuckling a little.   
“Oh, come on, I am fine” Ulana says in protest, standing on tiptoe and reaching for the keys that Dimitri is holding over his head.  
“I am still not letting you drive” Dimitri says, as he turns and unlocks the car.   
Ulana sighs and shakes her head, not arguing with him. She quietly climbs into the passenger side and puts her purse in her lap. Dimitri starts the car and Ulana settles into her seat. They chat about seemingly unimportant things as he drives her home. He tells her about what has been happening at work without her, and she listens well, chiming in from time to time. Upon arriving at her apartment, Dimitri walks her inside. As she enters, Ulana sees that her apartment has been cleaned up, and there are many “get well” cards resting on the coffee table. It warms her heart to see them, the rush of emotion causing her eyes to water. She slowly walks over and sits on the sofa, shuffling through the cards. She reads the names of many people from work and a few old friends, who she had not spoken to in ages. The one name missing from the list was the name she had wanted to see most, Valery’s name. Her heart sinks as she sets down the cards and sighs. She had tried to contact him a few times while she was in the hospital, but her calls were never answered or returned. Selfishly, she wanted Dimitri to leave, but she knew he was there to help her. All she wants is to get into contact with Valery. She yearns to speak to him with every fiber of her being. Ulana sat there on the sofa, looking blankly out the window, her mind fixed on Valery. In that very moment, he was all that she wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

A few weeks pass and Ulana has gone back to work. It helps to keep her mind busy and distract her from her constant worries about her unborn child and Valery. Her many attempts to get ahold of Valery have still failed. He has not answered any of her calls or returned any of her letters. As a result, Ulana goes back to spending almost all of her time at work, hardly returning home. Putting herself to work is the only thing that keeps her from breaking down. It is the only thing that she has left. She fills her days with experiments, calculations, and research. Her desk is constantly scattered with papers, notebooks, and books. There is an empty spot on the corner of her desk for her thermos. Every evening, Dimitri practically begs Ulana to go home and rest, but Ulana cannot stand to be home alone. It gives her time to think. Time to think about the small life growing within her. Time to think about Valery and her loss of contact with him. She hates when those thoughts come into her mind. They slow her down and make her emotional. She has little time to be emotional, for she has taken it upon herself to find exactly what caused Chernobyl’s reactor four to explode.  
It is now late November. Ulana is nearing the start of her second trimester as she approaches week twelve of her pregnancy. Her clothes have become a bit snug around her stomach and breasts, but she manages, nonetheless. It was early morning, maybe around three in the morning. Ulana is sitting at her desk, and she is the only one in the building. Dimitris attempts to get her to go home and rest had failed on that night. She is drowsy, and her body is aching from the strain of being pregnant at her age. Ulana sighs and slowly stands up to stretch, letting out a low groan. She stretches her arms above her head and sighs, leaning back and cracking her stiff back. A moment passes and Ulana sighs, unzipping her skirt a little to relieve the slight pressure on her stomach, letting the skirt hang loosely around her hips. Ulana looks down at her belly, her lips curving in a slight smile as she runs her hand down over the length of her stomach. She could feel the curve of her stomach that had developed rather quickly over the last few weeks. Ulana then glanced out the window at the clear night sky. She could stair up at the stars for hours on end. A sudden longing to open the windows came over her. Ulana took a few steps toward the window before stopping. No matter how much she longed to open the windows and stare out into space, she could not risk exposing herself to any more radiation. She took a moment and stood at the window, gazing at all of the shimmering stars before turning back to her desk. Slowly, Ulana looked over all the papers and files scattered across her desk. Her eyes wandered to her long empty thermos, making her realize how much she craved tea in that very moment. Ulana glanced at the clock on the far wall and sighed; surely, she could take a short break. After zipping her skirt back up, Ulana takes the thermos from her desk and heads to a small break room/lounge down the hall away. Her footsteps echo as she walks down the dark and desolate halls, and the only other sound is the buzzing of the few emergency lights.  
Ulana does not spend long in the breakroom. Only taking a moment to fill her thermos with cold water. She then exits the breakroom and begins walking back to her lab.   
“Ulana” a fairly familiar and raspy voice calls from behind her.  
As she turns around, her thermos falls from her hand and her heart jumps from her chest.  
“Valery…” She whispers, tears forming in her eyes.   
A moment passes and he smiles at her, tilting his head slightly. Suddenly, Ulana is running down the hall, bowling him over as she wraps her arms around him tightly. They lay on the floor, their arms wrapped tightly around one another. Ulana buries her face against Valery’s chest, breathing in his comforting and familiar scent. She presses every inch of her body she can against his. Valery tilts his head and presses his nose against her hair, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He gently strokes her hair, running his fingers through the soft, silky curls. Ulana tilts her head to look up at him. She kisses him, her lips locking with his as they lay on the floor.  
“It’s good to see you” Valery whispers as they part, his face only inches from hers.  
“You have no idea how much I have missed you” Ulana mumbles, holding him tightly in her arms.  
Valery’s lips curl into a gentle smile. He gently rubs the curve of her back, feeling her relax a little against him. Ulana sighs and looks up at Valery, resting her chin on his chest. She could have stayed there for hours, laying in Valery’s arms.  
“I need to tell you something” She says softly, tilting her head to look up at him.  
“What is it?” Valery asks, a little confused.  
Ulana pauses, her mind racing. This was much harder than she anticipated. She looks into Valery’s eyes, almost afraid to say the words. Her throat feels extremely closed and her mouth suddenly becomes dry.   
She swallows and manages to whisper “I-I’m pregnant”  
A moment of silence passes as Valery’s eyes wander over Ulana’s body. He now notices her slightly swollen breasts, and his eyes wander to her stomach, seeing that it is filling out her once flowy blouse. Valery doesn’t say anything at first, making Ulana’s heart sink. He may be something of a genius, but he can hardly comprehend what he just heard.  
Suddenly, he leans in and presses his lips to hers, allowing one of his hands to rest upon her belly. Valery can hardly bring himself to pull away from her to breathe. When he finally pulls away, he has tears in his eyes and a radiant smile flickers onto his face. His heart aches for her, though he is already holding her in his arms. He could spend the rest of his life wrapped in her embrace. A few moments pass before he helps her up off the ground and they walk back over to her lab, her hand in his. They sit for hours, talking, Ulana sitting in Valery’s lap in her office chair. Ulana tells him everything. About the sickness, the hospital, and even Charkov. Talking about her encounter with Charkov sends chills down her spine and makes her want to throw up. Valery comforts her, holding her tightly in his arms, but deep down he is furious. The news about Ulana’s encounter with Charkov enrages Valery. The thought of Ulana being forced to abort their child makes Valery’s heart ache more than it ever has before. Valery never thought of family much, for he never considered having one, but now, now that he knew Ulana was pregnant, the thought of family seemed lingered in Valery’s subconscious. His mind wanders as he looks out at the slowly lightening sky, thinking about his life and the impact Ulana has had on it. Valery thinks of all of the joy and light she has brought into his life, and he knows that he would not be the same without her. Valery is brought back to reality when he feels Ulana adjust in his lap, and it is obvious that she has fallen asleep. Her head is laying back against Valery’s shoulder, and her feet are propped up on her desk as she sits sideways across his lap. He smiles and gently kisses her forehead, leaning the side of his face against her head, taking in traces of the sweet scent of her perfume that remain from the previous morning. He wraps his arms around her as he feels her snuggle against him.  
“Sweet dreams Lana” Valery whispers as he kisses her slightly parted lips.   
A few hours pass, Valery watches the sky lighten as the sun rises. Ulana dozes peacefully in his arms. A car door can be heard closing in the parking lot, Valery jumps a little at the sound, but Ulana simply stirs in his arms. Footsteps can be heard coming down the hall a few minutes later. Valery watches the slightly open door, his heart racing. The footsteps halt just outside the door. A moment passes before the door swings open and none other than Charkov enters. He squints a little and a ruthless smile crosses his face.  
“Finally decided to pay her a visit?” Charkov asks, his slimy voice making the hairs on Valery’s arms stand on end.  
“Yes, as you can see, I did” Valery mumbles, a rage burning deep within him at the very sight of Charkov.   
Charkov raises an eyebrow and slowly approaches him. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Charkov looks down at Ulana and places his hand on her stomach, caressing it with his thumb.   
“I must ask that you stay away from her professor” Charkov begins, a deviant glint in his eyes, “It will be better for the both of you”   
Valery glairs at Charkov, he bites his lip as Charkov’s threat registers. Valery is holding Ulana tightly, wanting- no- needing to protect her. His heart is racing, and he looks down at Ulana as she adjusts her hips in her lap.  
“I will leave in my own time comrade Charkov” Valery replies, glaring at the hand Charkov has on Ulana’s abdomen.  
Charkov shakes his head as a fake friendly smile crosses his face. “I cannot say I did not warn you” he says as he begins to stand up.   
Charkov pauses and runs his hand over the curve of Ulana’s stomach.  
“Good day, professor” He says coldly before leaving.   
Valery sits in silence for a moment, his heart racing, then he does the unthinkable. He easily climbs out from beneath Ulana, who barely stirs as he leaves the room, following Charkov quickly down the hallway.   
“Comrade Charkov?” Valery calls, rage pulsing through his veins as he approaches Charkov.  
Charkov turns to face Valery, but before he can properly look at him, Valery’s fist makes contact with the side of Charkov’s face. An audible crack is heard throughout the halls. Charkov’s glasses are knocked askew, but he keeps his head turned, not looking at Valery, who is panting and shaking his hand a little, absolutely infuriated.   
“Emotions are a funny and dangerous thing professor” Charkov begins, still not looking at Valery.  
He pauses and picks up his glasses, putting them on before looking at Valery.   
“It is a shame that they have gotten the better of you”   
“What are you talking about?” Valery growls, his hands balled into tight fists.  
“You have prioritized your emotions over her and that child, and I can assure you that you will feel the consequences of that” Charkov says, his lips curling in a sadistic grin.   
Without another word, Charkov turns and continues down the hallway. Valery stands there for a moment, analyzing Charkov’s threat. His heart sank and a sense of regret began to build. He could not stay here if it endangered them. He turned and slowly made his way back to her lab, his mind buzzing with thoughts. Upon entering the lab, he stops, and tears come to his eyes as he looks across the room at Ulana. She is sleeping peacefully with her feet propped up on her desk. Her slender legs crossed at her ankles, and one of her hands resting on her stomach. Slowly, he walks over to her and plants a soft kiss on her forehead as he brushes the hairs off of her face.   
“I love you more than you will ever know” He whispers, taking a moment to hold her in his arms.   
At that moment, Ulana cuddles against Valery, her head resting against him a little. Valery sighs and looks at the files and notebooks scattered over her desk. It would keep her busy, away from Chernobyl, away from Moscow, but she would also be away from him. He swallowed to keep himself from sobbing. He had to keep her safe, he had to keep them safe. A few moments passed as he held Ulana in his arms. He laid his head against her shoulder and takes in her sweet and comforting scent. He bit his lip for a moment before leaning down and planting a soft kiss on her belly. Tears fill his eyes as he stands up. He scribbles down a note for her and leaves it under her thermos. Valery looks at her once more, sniffling a little as he removes his coat and drapes it over her.  
Valery plants a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips whispering, “Sleep well Ulana”  
Quietly, Valery straightens up and heads for the door. He stops to look around, spotting her coat and silk scarf. He stops for a moment and picks up her scarf, running the soft silk through his hands. He raises the scarf to his nose, taking in the traces of her sweet scent. Valery looks down at the scarf and then over his shoulder at Ulana before stuffing the scarf into his suit pocket. He stands in the lab doorway for a few moments, watching as Ulana sleeps. His heart aches horribly for her, but he must leave to ensure her safety.


	4. Chapter 4

A few hours pass, and the sun has risen. It is around eight in the morning. Ulana has not moved, still asleep in her chair, covered in Valery’s coat. Soft footsteps can be heard in the hall. Moments later, Dimitri enters the lab. A slight smile crosses his face as he sees Ulana asleep. He shakes his head a little before approaching her desk. He sets down a new thermos in front of her.  
“I thought you might be here, so I made some extra tea for you” Dimitri says as Ulana stirs.  
Ulana sighs and sits up a little, taking her feet off her desk. She looks around, expecting to see Valery somewhere in the room, but deep down she knows that he left. She looks down at the grey coat laying in her lap. As she stands up to stretch, she pulls on the coat. It envelops Ulana in the familiar scent of Valery. Ulana sighs and rotates her hips around a little as she raises her arms over her head. Her heart sinks as reality sets in, he left without waking her.   
“Thank you, Dimitri” She mumbled as she lets her arms fall to her side.  
She sighs and looks down at the note sitting beneath her own thermos. She can feel her heartbeat quicken and her throat begin to close as she reaches for it. Her eyes begin to water as her fingers close around the note, her hands shaking. She swallows, almost not wanting to read it, dreading what it might say.  
“Lana,  
I am sorry I did not wake you. You looked extremely peaceful in your sleeping state. I came today, knowing that I could not stay long, for now, I must return to Chernobyl to oversee the finishing of the sarcophagus.  
I love you more than you will ever know,  
Valery”  
Ulana sighs as she begins reading the note, feeling rather upset. She knew he would have to leave, but it still makes her heart ache. She had been trying to get in touch with him for weeks. Only having spent a few hours with him seemed like a slap in the face. She sighed and stuffed the note in the pocket of the coat Valery had left. Ulana took a sip of the tea Dimitri had brought her as she sat back down in her chair. All she wanted was to get back to work and keep her mind off of Valery. Ulana engaged Dimitri in simple conversation as they got to work.  
As December sets in and the winter gets harsher, Ulana receives news that Boris and Valery would like to meet with her, in private. Ulana is a week into her second trimester, only a few days into her 14th week. She has resorted to wearing dresses because many of her blouses are a bit tight over her growing belly. She is bundled in her thick fur coat and a scarf, her belly well hidden beneath her coat. She had been picked up in an army UAZ-469 on the outskirts of the exclusion zone. Ulana stairs out the window, her gloved hand resting on her stomach. A file folder sits on the seat beside her, containing her research. She had all but figured out what caused this disaster. The car stops in front of a now abandoned school building. Ulana sighs and grabs her file and thanks the driver as she gets out. Slowly, she enters the decrepit school building. Ulana walks slowly down a dim corridor. Broken glass occasionally crunching under her feet. Her breath fogging in the freezing air. She looks around the corridors at the many scattered papers, stopping for a moment to take it all in. The faintest amount of daylight trickles in through the windows. Ulana turns and heads for a staircase. As she reaches the landing, she sees Valery and Boris waiting for her. She stops and stands at the top of the stairs, looking at both of them.  
“I'm sorry for all this, but we needed to speak to you, in private” Boris says, his raspy voice rather quiet.  
Ulana nods, she understands. She takes a few steps forward, looking at the both of them. Boris looks over at Valery, who is fiddling with a pen.  
“They're putting Dyatlov on trial... And Bryukhanov... And Fomin. We're going to be called for expert testimony. All three of us. But before that happens—” Valery begins, his eyes wandering over Ulana’s body, stopping on her abdomen for a moment before he finally looks into her eyes.  
“The Central Committee is sending Legasov to Vienna. It's the headquarters of the International--” Boris interrupts, drawing Ulana's attention away from Valery.  
“I know what is in Vienna” Ulana mumbles, glaring at Boris “The International Atomic Energy Agency”  
Ulana pauses and looks at Valery, wetting her lips. “What are they asking you do to?” she says, tilting her head slightly.  
“They want me to tell the world what happened” Valery says, his mouth going dry.  
Ulana feels a rush of excitement and fear. She had devoted herself to revealing the truth. A slight resentment began to build within her. She had done all of the work, but he would be the one in Vienna.  
“Well then, you should know what really happened” Ulana says stiffly, opening up her file folder, “I have constructed a timeline. Minute by minute. Second by second in some places. Every decision. Every button press. Every turn of a switch. It is all here”  
“So, are they guilty?” Boris says, looking down at Ulana, practically demanding an answer while Valery looks through her report.  
“Yes, of gross incompetence, violation of safety regulations, recklessness beyond belief... but the explosion? I-I'm not sure” Ulana says, her hands in her pockets as she looks up at Boris.  
Valery closes the report, his heart sinking fast. He can feel a knot forming in his throat, almost making it hard to breathe. His worst fear has been confirmed. He can hear Boris and Ulana talking, but it is distant and muffled.  
Suddenly, Ulana hands him a paper.  
“I think this article may have the answer. But two pages have been removed-” She begins to explain.  
She is stopped by the look on Valery’s face after only one look at the paper. She clenches her jaw as she realizes the look of guilt.  
“You know what they are… You've seen them before” Ulana says as she grits her teeth, irritation and anger rising in her voice.  
“Please believe me when I tell you, I-I did not know it could lead to an explosion. None of us knew” Valery mumbled, looking at Ulana, feeling hopeless and somehow responsible.  
“None of you knew what?” Ulana says, her voice filled with rage as she clenched her jaw, her eyes burning into Valery.  
Valery sighs and bites his lip, picking up two chairs. He sits down and Ulana sits across from him, glaring at him accusingly.  
“In 1975 at the RBMK reactor in Leningrad, a fuel channel ruptured. The operators pressed AZ-5, but instead of the power immediately going down, for a brief moment… it went up” Valery says, not daring to look at Ulana directly.  
“H-how is that possible?” Ulana says, her look of anger melting into one of disbelief.  
“That was the very question asked by a colleague of mine named Volkov. He's the one who wrote this article…” Valery says, finally meeting Ulana’s eyes.  
He pauses, holding eye contact with her for a moment.  
“When the RBMK runs at low power, as it was that night, it's notoriously unstable. Prone to… swings in reactivity” Valery explains, now looking at Boris, “Under normal circumstances, control rods can compensate for that”  
“Yes, under normal circumstances” Ulana says, gesturing to her report, “The Chernobyl staff stalled the reactor during the test. They pulled almost all of the control rods in order to bring the power back up”  
Valery can feel his throat suddenly getting tight as he looks back at Ulana.  
“W-we learned from Leningrad that if the boron rods are completely withdrawn from the core, when they're put back in, the first thing into the reactor isn't boron” Valery begins, his eyes scanning Ulana’s face, trying to find comfort in her.  
He pauses and swallows, looking at the ground near Ulana’s feet.  
“It's graphite. The boron control rods have graphite tips that displace water and steam. Reactivity doesn't go down. It goes up… dramatically” Valery says, his voice now barely a whisper, as if he were a child admitting to a wrongdoing.  
Ulana leans back in her chair, shocked. Her hand travels mindlessly to her belly as her mind begins to buzz with thoughts. Boris can only stand there, waiting for an explanation.  
Valery takes a moment before looking up at Boris.  
“Imagine there's a fire in a building. You turn on a hose, but instead of water coming out, it sprays gasoline…” Valery says, his eyes wandering from Boris to Ulana.  
“Why the hell would they press that button?” Boris says, his eyes wide with horror.  
“They didn’t know better…” Ulana whispers, her wide blue eyes, now looking at the ground, a somber look on her face.  
A few moments pass by in a blur. Ulana can hear them talking, but her mind is elsewhere. She looks down at her stomach. Tears came to her eyes as she thought of the horrible deaths suffered by many, all because this fatal flaw had been kept a secret. Suddenly she looked up, upon hearing Boris say: “So it is their fault”.  
“Yes” Valery mumbles.  
“But not only their fault” Ulana says, glaring at Boris for a moment.  
“No…” Valery says, glancing at her.  
“And is that what you're going to say, in Vienna? Valery, you have to tell the truth… All of it.” Ulana pleads, meeting Valery’s eyes.  
“You cannot possibly be that naïve” Boris says, in anger and disbelief as he glares at Ulana.  
“There are 16 RBMK reactors running in the Soviet Union as we speak. We must fix them, and the only way to make that happen is to go public. In Vienna, in the West. We have to force the Central Committee to take action” Ulana says, staring at Boris in disbelief, a slight anger rising in her as she becomes irritated.  
“What you are proposing is that Legasov humiliate a nation that is obsessed with not being humiliated” Boris growls, wanting to protect Valery.  
He pauses before turning to Valery, “We can make a deal with the KGB. You leave this information out in Vienna, and they quietly allow us to fix the remaining reactors” Boris explains, putting Valery’s life over the cost of another Chernobyl like accident.  
“A deal with the KGB? And you are calling me naïve” Ulana growls, snatching up her file folder as she stands up.  
Valery glances at both of them, pulled in opposite directions by his heart and his mind.  
“Valery, they will go after your friends, your family-” Boris says, trying to plead with him.  
“You have a chance to talk to the World Valery. If it were me-” Ulana starts, her ocean blue eyes searching his face for support.  
“it isn't you! is it?” Boris barks, rounding on Ulana, his eyes burning with rage, “I have been a part of this system for 44 years, so listen carefully Khomyuk. I have known braver souls than you. Men who had their moment and did nothing, because when it is your life and the lives of everyone you love, your moral conviction doesn't mean a damn thing… It leaves you. And all you want in that moment is not to be killed”  
Ulana glares at Shcherbina, opening her mouth to reply, but she pauses as she feels the precious life, she has been carrying, move within her. She closes her mouth and looks at the floor before turning to Valery, her eyes filled with determination.  
“Do you know the name Vasily Ignatenko?” Ulana asks, the rage in her eyes fading away to reveal a somber look.  
Valery shakes his head, a bit baffled and confused by the sudden question.  
“He was a fireman. He died two weeks after the accident” Ulana begins, pausing for a moment, her throat beginning to feel rather tight, “I've been looking in on his widow… She gave birth today. A girl”  
Ulana pauses, tears began to well in her eyes as her hand wanders to the curve of her stomach.  
“The baby lived for four hours. She had 28 roentgen. They said the radiation would have killed the mother, but the baby absorbed it instead. Her baby…” Ulana says, her voice breaking, and she is on the verge of tears.  
She looks down at Valery, glancing at Boris briefly.  
“We live in a country where children have to die to save their mothers” Ulana says, looking back at Valery, “So, to hell with our names and to hell with your deals. Someone has to start telling the truth”  
She stops and looks back at Boris. Valery looks up at them. Ulana, who is right, and Boris, who is also right. He knows that only he can decide.  
Valery slowly looks from Ulana to Boris as he stands up, but before he can say anything Ulana turns and begins to head down the stairs, the file folder in her hand.  
“Where are you going?” Valery calls after her, walking toward the top of the stairs.  
“You have all the information you need to make a decision Valery. I am not going to wait around here for you to make up your mind. I have work to do” Ulana says, turning to him.  
It is obvious that she has become rather irritated with him, for she believes the choice is obvious and that he should undoubtedly tell the truth. Their eyes meet and Valery can see the tears glistening in her eyes.  
“Ulana…” He says softly, starting to approach her.  
“You would have no doubts at all if you had seen the things I saw. Valery, I saw things that you could never imagine when I was in that hospital. Men who no longer looked like men. Women who had fallen ill simply because of the radiation that was tracked into their homes" she pauses, her voice breaking, “A-and children who were dying, all because they went out to play the morning after the incident…”  
Ulana pauses, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
“You have no idea what horrors I saw, so do not try to console me Valery. Do not try to tell me that I am being irrational. No one should have to suffer such a horrible death… No one’s child should have to die for them…” She says, her eyes suddenly icy as she gives Valery one final look before continuing down the stairs.  
Valery looks after her, longing to go after her but he is glued to the spot as he thinks over what she just said. He looks back at Boris who looks rather bewildered.  
"You should go talk to her…" Boris mumbles, looking at Valery a bit wide eyed.  
"Me talking to her wont help now Boris…" Valery says, fearing that he may do more harm than good.  
"Fine, then I will go talk to her" Boris mumbles, knowing it may make Ulana angry, but she obviously needs someone.   
Boris brushes past Valery and heads down the stairs. He finds Ulana sitting in one of the old classrooms, her head in her hands. He quietly approaches her and places his hand on her back.   
"I thought you might need some company" Boris whispers, his raspy voice still rather loud.   
Ulana looks up at him quietly, her eyes watering.   
"You have no idea… the things I saw in that hospital…" She whispers.  
Boris sits down in a seat across from her and looks at her quietly.   
"Khomyuk..." Boris says softly, looking at the somber expression on her face.  
"You know, you never see the true horrors of the world until you have a child…" Ulana whispers, wiping her eyes.  
Boris leans back, his eyes widening a little as he comes to the realization that she is pregnant.   
"Why would you come here? Put them at risk?" He whispers.   
Ulana looks up at him and shrugs before letting her eyes fall to the ground. Boris reaches out and takes her hand, pulling her into an awkward hug. Surprisingly, Ulana does not pull away. She rests her head on Boris' shoulder, sniffling a little.   
"We will get them fixed. One way or another" he whispers.   
When they part, Ulana looks up at Boris, a somber smile crossing her lips.   
"Thank you comrade" she mumbled before walking out to the parking lot to the UAZ-469 that had brought her there.   
As she climbs into the passenger seat the only thing on her mind is the fate of her baby.


	5. Chapter 5

Valery Apartment, Moscow  
Sometime between the meeting in December and the trial.  
-  
Ulana approaches Valery's apartment building, carrying a file box. She is unable to conceal her pregnancy now, her bump clearly visible. She is wearing a deep navy dress that is cinched just under her breasts. She sighs and enters the building, climbing the many stairs to Valery's apartment. Ulana sets down the file box as she reaches Valery's door, her back and feet aching as she stops to catch her breath. She sighs before knocking on the door. As she bends down to pick up the file box, the door slowly opens. Valery is standing in the doorway, his eyes widening as he sees her. He slowly looked her over, not knowing what to say, his jaw clamped shut.   
"May I come in?" Ulana mutters, quite exhausted from the walk there.   
Valery simply steps aside. Ulana steps inside and places the file box onto his kitchen table. She sighs and collapses into a chair, stretching out her legs and crossing them at her ankles. Upon further inspection, Valery sees that her ankles are swollen. He cannot help but feel sorry for her as he sits down across from her. A few moments pass and they sit in silence. Ulana sits quietly one of her hands resting on the side of her stomach, gently rubbing it with her thumb. Valery cannot help but look at her belly, his heart beginning to ache. He can see the slight movements of the life growing within her. The life that he put there. Suddenly, Valery reaches out and places his hand on the crest of her stomach. Ulana looks up at him for a moment and their eyes meet.  
"I am sorry, I should have asked," Valery says, beginning to pull his hand away.  
"No, it's alright..." Ulana says softly, pulling his hand back.  
Valery looks at her quietly as he gently runs his hand down her stomach.  
"Valery, we need to talk…" Ulana says softly.   
Valery looks up at her, his heart beginning to sink. He pulls his hand away, his heart aching as he looked into her eyes.   
"I came here to talk about Vienna," Ulana says, her tone becoming serious.  
Valery sighs and sits back in his chair. He knew deep down that was why she came.   
I haven't come to scold you. I know how the world works. I'm a realist, no matter what Shcherbina thinks" Ulana says, with a slight huff of frustration as she sees the look on his face.  
"Then why are you here?" Valery mumbles, quickly losing interest in the conversation.  
The conversation that follows is fairly frustrating, for Ulana is extremely stubborn and will not give up without a fight. She is more passionate than ever about exposing the truth.  
"Why?" Legasov says, looking at her, his heart sinking, he anticipates what she will say.  
" Because you're Legasov. And you mean something…” Ulana begins in a frustrated tone, “I'd like to think if I spoke out, it would be enough" Ulana continues, a bitter look crossing her face, "But as I said, I know how the world works"  
There is a pause, tension in the air. It is obvious that Valery does not share her passion for the truth, despite the fact that the radiation from Chernobyl could decide the fate of his unborn child.  
"They will shoot me Khomyuk," Valery says selfishly.   
Ulana sighs, the use of her last name stinging like salt on an open wound. It hurt more to hear her last name roll off of her lovers’ tongue than she had imagined. She has one last shot at convincing him. She has little hope, for not even the potential loss of their child could convince him. She begins pulling the notebooks out of her file box.  
"You told me to find out what happened. I talked to dozens of people. Every word they said, I wrote it down" Ulana says with frustration as she separates the books into two piles.  
She gestures to the pile with two books. "These are the people who are still alive"  
She pauses before gesturing to the pile with twelve books. "These are the ones who are dead. They died rescuing each other. Putting out fires. Tending to the wounded. They didn't hesitate. They didn't waver. They simply did what had to be done" Ulana says, feeling her eyes start to water at the memory of the men and the state they were in when they died.  
"So have I. I went willingly to an open reactor. I've also given my life. Is that not enough?" Valery says, seeing the disappointment on her face as he speaks, causing his heart to ache.  
"I'm sorry, but it is not enough," Ulana says coldly as she begins gathering her books.  
Ulana looks over at Valery as she hears sniffling. He has his head in his hands and is sobbing softly.   
"Valery…" Ulana says softly, gently putting her hand on his wrist.  
"I never wanted to disappoint you, Lana, I never meant to hurt you…" Valery whispers, his voice shaking.   
Ulana leans in and places her hand on his cheek, wiping away his tears. She looks up at him with a somber look. Her skin looks absolutely radiant in the golden afternoon light that is filtering in through the windows.   
"Valery, why didn't you tell me… why didn't you tell me about the Volkov paper and the flaw with AZ-5?" Ulana asks softly.  
Valery meets her eyes, tears welling in his eyes, "I wanted to keep you safe. I needed you to stay away from Chernobyl, away from the radiation" Valery whispers, his voice cracking.  
Ulana shakes her head and wraps her arms around him, "I could never say mad at you for long. No matter what you do, or what you say. I will always love you Valery Alekseyevich Legasov" she whispers, holding onto him tightly.  
"And I will always love you Ulana Yuriyvna Khomyuk" Valery mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her into his lap.  
They sit like that for a few moments before Valery lifts her up and carries her over to his sofa. Ulana wraps her arms around his neck, holding him tightly.   
She props her feet up on the coffee table as Valery places her on the sofa. He sits down beside her and Ulana snuggles up against him. She mindlessly rests her hand on her stomach as Valery wraps his arm around her back, his hand resting on her soft hip. He reaches his other hand over and places it on her lower belly. They sit in silence for a moment as Valery feels some slight movements, causing his lips to curl in a radiant smile. He never thought he could feel so much happiness in his life. Ulana looks up at him, her heart melted by the wide smile on Valery's face.   
"This is the most movement I think I have ever felt," she says with a soft chuckle.   
"She knows her daddy is here," Valery says, leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of her belly.  
Ulana smiles and gently runs her fingers through Valery's hair. They spend hours sitting there together, chatting quietly, watching as the sun slowly sets.   
Ulana quietly crawls into Valery's lap, sitting in his lap and laying her head against his shoulder as she wraps her arms around him. She is extremely warm and cuddly, her body soft and comfortable. Valery props his feet up on the coffee table and holds Ulana in his arms, leaning his cheek against her forehead. They sat in silence for a while, each content merely with the other's company. As the sun begins to set and the sky turns a deep shade of purple, Valery gently prods Ulana.   
"I think you would be more comfortable in my bed" he mutters as she looks up at him, her eyes half opened.   
“You’ll have to carry me” Ulana mumbles, chuckling tiredly.   
Valery smiles a little and kisses her forehead.  
“As you wish” He whispers.  
He takes his feet down off the coffee table. Taking a moment to gather his strength as he adjusts her slightly in his lap. He groans softly as he stands up, holding her in his arms in a bridal style. Valery manages to carry her into his bedroom, laying her gently on the small bed. He smiled a little as he watched her curl up.  
“I may have some pajamas you can wear, if you would like them,” Valery says softly as he sits on the bed, running his fingers through his hair.   
“hmmm, that would be nice” Ulana mumbles, smiling at him drowsily.   
After searching through his dresser for a few moments, Valery manages to find an old, black, silk button down and some of his pajama pants. He places them on the bed in front of her, holding his own pajamas under his arm. Without saying a word, Valery wanders down the hall to the bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed. Upon his return, he finds that Ulana has already dressed in the clothes he gave her and is dozing peacefully in his bed. Her clothes lay on the floor beside the bed in a heap. The very sight of her brought a smile to his face and made his heart feel as though it would burst. Silently, Valery climbed into bed beside her and turned out the light. He lay on his back for a moment, though he was an atheist, he stared up at the ceiling with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face as he thanked God for Ulana and the small life that she carried within her. As the moment passed, Valery looked over at her and rolled onto his side, wrapping his arm around her middle as he cuddled up to her, becoming her big spoon. Ulana smiled and laid back against him as she slept. Every inch of her was soft and cuddly, and she seemed to radiate a cozy warmth. Valery smiled as he ran his hand over her belly and pressed his nose against the crook of her neck. He could have spent a lifetime laying there with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very NSFW. It is very smutty, so if you do not like to read smut I would recommend that you skip this chapter.

It was around 5 the next morning when Ulana awoke. At first, she had no idea what had roused her. She blinked her eyes a few times and as she became more aware, she realized the light pressure on one of her breasts. Valery, who was still fast asleep, had wrapped his arm around her and was gently squeezing one of her swollen and sensitive breasts. Ulana cannot help but smile a little, thinking that he must be having a rather good dream. She sighs softly and cuddles against him, running her hand over her belly as she feels the small life she has been growing move slightly. Ulana manages to fall back asleep for a few hours. She is roused by the slight movement of Valery’s hand on her breast. She looks drowsily over her shoulder at him and feels something pressing against her.   
"You're poking me" she mumbles, gently elbowing Valery.  
"I am not..." Valery mutters, pressing his nose into the crook of her neck and kissing the back of her neck softly.   
"You are..." Ulana’s, taking her hand and placing it between his legs, grabbing his rather hard cock.  
Valery grins a little as Ulana cranes her neck to look back at him.  
"Would you like me to help you with that Valera?" She says softly, her voice a bit gravely because she has just woken up.  
"So, you want to turn my dreams into reality" Valery says as he places his leg gently around hers.  
"I knew you were dreaming about me" Ulana mumbles, a slight smile curling her lips.   
Valery gently grasps her breast as he slowly embedded his cock within her. Ulana sighs as Valery presses himself against her, gently rubbing his finger over her nipple as he gave her swollen breast a gentle squeeze. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck as he slowly begins to thrust into her. Valery’s hand travels down from her swollen breast to the crest of her growing stomach. He smiles a little as he feels her tense up around him a bit, a soft moan escaping from her lips. Valery gently traces his finger around her bellybutton as he pulls her upper body against him with another thrust. Valery moans softly, as her muscles tighten around him as he slowly pulls back, preparing to thrust back into her. He feels Ulana adjust her hips against him, and with his next thrust, Valery is able to bury himself balls deep in her, causing her to let out a rather loud low moan. Valery smiles and places his hand back on her swollen breast, gently squeezing her nipple between his fingers. Ulana undoes the few buttons on her button-down that remained done, panting softly as she throws open the silky shirt. Slowly, Valery quickens his pace, and each of his thrusts become a little more forceful. Ulana’s moans slowly become louder, and her muscles contract around Valery as he gives a particularly hard thrust. Valery moans softly, his grip on Ulana softening as he releases a load of his crème within her. They lay there both panting softly as Valery pulls out and proceeds to cuddle Ulana. He places his lips on the crook of her neck, kissing her softly as he takes in her sweet scent. Ulana smiles a little as she leans back to cuddle against him. Valery nuzzles his cheek against her, his broad hands wandering over her soft and curvy body.  
“I love you” Valery says with a sigh.  
“I know” Ulana teases, smiling as she leans against him.  
Valery smiles and gently traces his finger over her delicate and fluffy hip, her silky skin especially soft. He smiles a little and leans over her, kissing her cheek. They continue to loaf around and cuddle for a while before Ulana finally forces herself to get up. It is around 8 when she finally crawls out of the warm bed, leaving Valery’s embrace. She stretches her arms up over her head, only wearing the black button down of Valery’s that she had dawned the night before. It is only buttoned just over her breasts, leaving her belly rather exposed. Valery smiles as he watches her. He reaches up and places his hand on her hip, running it down the length of her velvety thigh. Ulana smiles and looks down at him as her arms fall to her sides.  
“I am going to shower, if you’d like to join me” She mumbles, tilting her head slightly.  
Valery smiles a little as he watches her walk out into the hall, her ample hips swaying slightly from side to side. Valery smiled as he crawled out of the bed, following Ulana as the soft padding of her feet continued down the hall. He could not help but smile as he watched her, for she had developed the very slightest of waddles. Ulana walks into the rather small bathroom. As Valery enters, he can see her leaning into the shower, turning on the water. He closes the door behind him and slowly takes off his shirt. Ulana turns to look at him, a slight grin on her face. She smiles and places her hand on Valery’s chest. He smiles a little and reaches down putting his hands on her waist, pulling her closer. Ulana smiles and kisses him softly, reaching up and running her fingers through his thinning hair. As she pulls away, she turns around and sticks her delicate hand under the running water to feel the temperature. Valery smiles a little and wraps his arms around her, undoing the few fastened buttons over her breasts. Ulana glances back at him and allows the shirt to fall to the floor before she steps into the shower. Valery removes the rest of his clothes before following her. As he steps into the shower, he cannot help but smile. Ulana is standing beneath the hot water, her eyes closed, and a blissful smile on her face. The beads of water trickle over the soft curves of her body. Valery smiles ad he stands just behind her, his hands wandering over the expanse of her soft body. Ulana sighs and leans back against him, her head laying against his shoulder. Valery smiles and allows his hands to wander over the swell of her stomach and down into the thick mane covering her lady bits. Ulana moans a little as his fingers wander over her clit.   
“I thought we were going to shower” Ulana moans, leaning back on Valery as he rubs her sweet spot.  
“We are going to shower” Valery whispers, kissing the crook of her neck as he continues to rub her soft sensitive spot.  
Valery smiles as he looks down over her body, seeing her legs trembling with as she sighs with pleasure. He smiles and continues to kiss her soft neck, his fingers slowly making their way inside her, now soaked in her juices. Ulana moans softly, leaning back against him, her legs feeling weak. Valery smiles and slowly pulls his fingers out of her warm and wet cavern. He puts his fingers to his lips for a moment before putting them into his mouth. He smiles a little as he pulls them out.   
“You taste wonderful” Valery whispers as he allows his hand to wander back to her sweet spot.  
Ulana smiles as she feels his stiffy pressing against her. One way or another she will get another taste of his breakfast burrito. Valery places his hands on her hips and gives a good thrust, pushing Ulana against the tiled wall. She moans softly as she leans forward to take in the entirety of his wand of life. Valery quickly picks up his pace, causing Ulana to pant softly. A rather loud moan escapes Ulana’s lips as Valery gives a particularly hard and deep thrust. Her muscles tighten around him and Valery slowly pulls out, filling her with his creamy white gold with his next thrust. As they finish, Valery leans forward, wrapping his arms around her, the length of him still tucked deep within her. Warm water runs down his back and onto her warm skin. He can feel her trembling slightly with pleasure as Valery holds her close. Ulana leans back against Valery, who has unsheathed himself from her. Valery gently begins to wash Ulana’s body, planting soft kisses all over her as he does. As they are finishing their shower, there is a knock on the door. Ulana and Valery exchange a look as the tension in the air begins to thicken. They had not been expecting a visitor.


	7. Chapter 7

A second knock on the door sent Valery into action. He quickly dried off and rushed down the hall to the bedroom. Ulana sighed frustratedly and waddled after him, wrapped in a towel and struggling to keep up. She had become rather chubby because of her pregnancy. Between the hormones and the food, she could not keep from gaining weight. She stopped in the bedroom doorway, one hand supporting her belly.   
"Valera, we could just not answer it" Ulana mumbles, obviously wary of who may be on the other side of the door.   
"It could be important" Valery mumbles, not making eye contact with her as he fumbles with his socks.   
"Is there something you aren't telling me?" Ulana asks as, giving him a very serious look.   
Valery sighs and looks up at her. Though he does not say, it is obvious he is not telling her something.  
A third knock makes Valery look away from her and toward the door. Ulana sighs, quite irritated as she begins to get dressed. Valery rushes to answer the door, leaving her alone.  
As she wanders down the hall toward the dining area and entrance to the apartment, Ulana can hear Valery conversing with someone. Though, she cannot recognize the other voice at first. She stops in the hall to listen.  
"I am trying to protect you Valera" she heard a rather raspy voice say.

Upon entering the dining room, her suspicions were confirmed, she sees Valery and Boris sitting and talking. Ulana's expression instantly goes sour. Boris is sat in the chair she had been in when she came over the day before. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was obvious that they had planned to meet.   
"I suppose I should be going" she growled as the men stared at her.   
"Ulana…" Valery says as he rises from her chair.  
"It is obvious you have some conflicting feelings Comrade Legasov. If I cannot convince you to undoubtedly tell the truth then I do not see the point in trying. I have much more important things to do than come here and waste my energy on you" Ulana says coldly as she gathers her things.   
Her words stung, and Valery felt his heart sink.  
"Ulana, I am sorry. I forgot that Boris was coming over" Valery says as he reaches for her arm.  
"If the deaths of many, including a child, who died so her mother could live cannot convince you then I am wasting my time… I do not have time to be the angel on your shoulder" Ulana snaps, as she glared at him.  
"Ulana, I already gave my life, I have only years to live!" Valery says, getting frustrated.   
"And my child could have hours to live… I could die giving birth… but I am still going on with my life. I am still trying to do the right thing for the people!" Ulana huffs.  
Without another word, she leaves, her file box in her arms. Ulana could feel her body aching in protest as she carried the heavy file box in her arms, making her way to the train station. By the time she arrived, her eyes were watering from the amount of pain her body was in. The next train for Minsk did not have for hours. So, Ulana sat down, her file box on the floor beside her. Many passing people gave her odd looks. She knew she mush have been a sight to behold. A middle-aged disgruntled and pregnant woman, awaiting the next train to Minsk. She had not done her hair that morning, which likely added to the many stares, for she must have looked quite lost.   
She leaned back and propped her feet up beside her, her shoes tight around her swollen feet. Her hand rested on her stomach, and she was suddenly struggling to hold back tears. It broke her heart that Valery would not outright choose the truth and her over the safety of lies and Shcherbina. Somewhere, deep down, Ulana hated that she had kept the baby. Pregnancy had all but ruined her life. Her body seemed to be punishing her for keeping the baby, but she could not fathom how she would have coped with aborting it.   
Ulana sat there for hours, contemplating her decisions. Finally, when the time came, Ulana gathered her things and boarded the train to Minsk without looking back. This was the last straw, she would not waste her time on Valery any longer, not if he could not do the right thing and tell the whole truth.   
The train ride home was horrible, Ulana had gotten a bit motion sick. The train was not very full, but she was sitting beside a very kind young woman. Her name was Eliza. She was obviously foreign. She had bright naturally red hair and pale skin. She was extremely kind-faced, and her eyes were like emeralds. She had a very kind smile. She was also extremely petite. When she saw Ulana was pregnant, she did her best to help Ulana.  
"You must be miserable," Eliza said, her voice was smooth and creamy.   
Ulana could not help but smile. Eliza was very kind and gentle, her accent English, and it was obvious she was a westerner.  
"You cannot imagine" Ulana mumbles as she leaned her head against the window.  
Eliza smiles a little and digs through her purse, handing Ulana a small bottle of pills.   
"Those will help with nausea…" Eliza mumbled   
Ulana gave her an odd look, after looking over the pills.  
"It's alright, they are safe for baby," Eliza says, smiling at Ulana, "just chew one up and have some water," Eliza says, getting a bottle of cold water out of her bag.   
Gratefully, Ulana chews up one of the chalky pills and takes a few sips of water. After a few moments, she feels a bit better.   
"Why don't you put your feet up… I don't mind if you rest them on me" Eliza says as she looks Ulana over closely.  
"I am fine," Ulana says, when in reality, she would give anything to have some relief for the pain in her feet from her heels.   
"You really should relax…" Eliza pushes as she places her purse by her feet.   
Ulana sighs and gives Eliza a stubborn look before giving in and putting her feet up in Eliza's lap. Eliza smiled and gently massaged Ulana's ankles, getting the swelling to go down rather quickly.  
"Where did you learn all this?" Ulana asks as she traces her finger over her belly, enticing the life within her to move.   
"I am a doctor, and I am a mother too," Eliza says as she places her coat under Ulana's feet.  
"But… you are so young" Ulana says, looking up at Eliza.  
"I have worked very hard to get to where I am," Eliza says, smiling a little.  
Ulana chuckles a little, looking over the petite woman.   
"I did the same thing…" she mumbled, thinking back to when she was young.   
Ulana gasps a little at a particularly large movement from within her. Eliza smiles and laughs lightly.   
"Someones quite active hmmm?" She says as she looks at Ulana's belly.  
"That's the most movement I think I've felt yet" Ulana mumbles as she gingerly rubbed the side of her belly. Eliza smiles and gently reaches up to feel Ulana's belly.   
"Why don't I help you back to your apartment. I would hate to see you carry that file box by yourself. Especially with a little one on the way" Eliza suddenly says as she looks up at Ulana.  
Ulana cannot help but smile as she looks into Eliza's brilliant green eyes.  
"You're offering to help me?" Ulana says, a bit baffled.  
Eliza smiles, "why not?" She says softly.   
Ulana chuckles a little and smiles at Eliza.   
"Because I am a pregnant old bat," Ulana says, embarrassed.   
"That does not mean anything to me… I would not want to see any pregnant woman on her own. I would be very glad to help you" Eliza says, making it obvious that she is an extremely caring person.  
"I suppose I could use some help…" Ulana mumbles, more to herself than Eliza.  
Eliza smiles and proceeds to chat with Ulana. She tells Ulana that she can help make sure the rest of Ulana's pregnancy goes smoothly and that she stays healthy.   
Upon their arrival in Minsk, Eliza gathered her things and proceeded to carry Ulana's things as well. It had begun to rain soon after they arrived in Minsk, and by the time they arrived at Ulana's apartment they were both drenched. Eliza placed their things on the floor and removed her coat.  
"You should go warm-up, I don't think your little one would be too happy if you got sick" Eliza mumbled as she took Ulana's coat.  
Ulana could not help but smile. She had thought today would be terrible after leaving Valery's, but she had, somehow, met an absolute angel on the train.  
Eliza was fairly carefree. She slept on Ulana's sofa and keeps everything very clean. Eliza also looked after Ulana, ensuring she got enough rest and food. She ensured that Ulana remained comfortable and she checked on the baby, running a few tests and such.   
It was a few days after they had met. Ulana was laying on the sofa reading, Eliza had just gotten back from the hospital, she set down her bag on the coffee table. She smiled when she saw Ulana.   
"Would you like to listen to your baby?" Eliza asks as she looks down at Ulana.   
Ulana looks at her, her eyes widening as she smiles at Eliza.   
"You can do that?" Ulana asks, sitting up a little.  
Eliza smiles and pulls out her stethoscope.  
"We can try," Eliza says, grinning at Ulana.   
Gently, Eliza lifts Ulana's shirt and places her stethoscope on Ulana's belly. She moves it around a bit to find the baby's heartbeat, before letting Ulana listen. The smile that spread across Ulana's face was priceless. Her eyes began to water. She was filled with even more love for the small life growing within her. Eliza was like Ulana's guardian angel. Ulana could feel, deep down, how much she missed Valery. She fell asleep at night, thinking about him, and her dreams were filled with images of their beautiful family. Ulana craved his presence, for she did not know when she would see him next, and the small life that grew within her was just a constant reminder of him.


End file.
